Buyers do not want any surprises. And, most importantly, they
want producers to have integrity in the products they are
producing.

He and his partner, John Mackey, came up with this notion quite a
long time ago, long before "buying organic" was, well, a thing.
For those of us who grew up primarily in the '80s and '90s, we
remember a time when our local supermarkets coated our produce
with pesticides and when sugary snacks, made entirely of corn
syrup and artificial ingredients, were all the rage.

Gushers, Fruit by the Foot anyone?
Our childhood memories were made of the stuff.

Yet, the team behind Whole Foods knew decades ago something new
was on the horizon.They knew that customers were craving a
healthy and, ultimately, ethical alternative to fast-and-mass
production.They wanted a single destination for shopping a
curated selection of healthy products that taste delicious. With
30 new locations opening up around the world this year and record
profits, it seems they are onto something.

As the founders of ethical-fashion startup Zady, we also believe in sustainability
and are aiming to be the "Whole Foods of fashion." Our notion
of what customers deserve when it comes to apparel is in line
with what Robb says customers deserve in food: transparency.

As a society, we're moving towards norms revolved around
transparency and sustainability. For companies to not only
survive in this environment but also thrive, we have a few tips:

Tell an authentic story. There are billions of
things to buy out there and there are very efficient ways of
getting those things. To elevate the "just things" into covetable
objects, they need to have an authentic story. As a brand leader,
it is your job to tell that story beautifully.

At Zady, we interview all of our designers and provide a history
of related products. For example, when featuring a striped shirt,
we explain why traditional striped shirts have 21 stripes. (It
was for Napoleon's victories). Or the fact that Coco Chanel later
made the striped shirt synonymous with style when she introduced
it in her collection in 1917. It's those kind of details that
build an emotional connection with a product and with your brand.

Get off the soap box. Have you ever read an
interview with a CEO or entrepreneur whom you respect, only to
hear them spew venom at their competition or, worse, preach about
their morals and guiding light? It's not fun. Stay clean, stay
positive and keep the focus on your mission, your team and what
makes your business best.

Live your mission. Believe in something. Have a
point of view and have your mission drive every decision of your
company. A mission statement is not something you just slap on
your site, it is your company's raison d'etre. It
not only helps you pave your startup path but also with hiring
and customer acquisition.

According to The New York Times, the millennial
generation would rather work for a company that stands up for
what it believes in - and believes in something - over being
happy. Likewise, this generation would rather purchase products
from a company that stands for something than with a company that
pushes a logo.

Be in the business for the right reason. In
2010, The New Yorker described Whole Foods as a
"paragon of virtue." Mackey told the magazine then that his
business is mission-based, with core values including commitments
to the fulfillment of equitable treatment of stakeholders, as
well as the health of the public, while also having a commitment
to making money. Mackey believes, as do we, that organizations
must sincerely help the world become better while also focusing
on and pursuing profits.